It is no secret that Barcelona are in the market for a new left winger. And although Luis Diaz is the club’s top target, an alternative has emerged as an option that could be considered in the event of the Liverpool man being unattainable.
Barcelona are determined to sign Diaz this summer, but given Liverpool’s stance on the situation, it is far from certain that a deal can be done during the transfer window. As such, alternative options could come to the fore in the weeks ahead.
Marcus Rashford is one player that Barcelona like, and another is Ademola Lookman. The Nigeria international could leave Atalanta this summer, and according to 3cat, the Catalans have him on their list.
Lookman, who has also attracted Premier League interest in recent months, has previously been reported to have held initial talks with Barcelona via his representatives. The La Liga champions’ interest has not developed beyond this for now, but they could advance if the Diaz operation breaks down.
In terms of asking price, there has been mixed reports. Those from Italy say that Atalanta would ask for €60m, but in Catalonia, there is a belief that Barcelona could get a deal done for as little as €30m – which would be a bargain for a player of Lookman’s quality.
It will be very interesting to see how the situation plays out in regards to Barcelona’s pursuit of a new left winger. The club’s well-documented financial woes means that they cannot go all-out on a new signing, which makes it more likely that Diaz is not signed – unless Liverpool drop their demands and are more open to a sale. As such, the option of Lookman is one that could easily gain traction in the coming weeks.